Rob Andrews: “Thank you for calling me an expert on the U.S. economy. That is hardly the case. That is the one inaccurate thing the…”

“Thank you for calling me an expert on the U.S. economy. That is hardly the case. That is the one inaccurate thing the gentleman said. I do know this from listening to my neighbors: The economy is in deplorable, horrible shape. It's the worst economy, I think, in my life. And the number one issue today is not health care; it is the economy, but it's important to understand how this issue plays into jobs and the economy. Businesses can't create jobs as their premiums skyrocket. As an employer pays more and more and more in health care, what he or she has to do is either hire fewer people or offer narrower health benefits. The auto manufacturers tell us that the price of health care for their employees in making a car costs more than the price of steel that goes into the car. A young entrepreneur starting a software company is likely to not even make it at all or crash and burn from the beginning because of these costs. One of the ways to help businesses create more jobs--and by the way, an independent estimate shows that over time, the savings that this health care bill will generate will create 4 million jobs in the United States--is to fix health care.”